White’s disorder may ease after transition to Rockets regimen

McALLEN — If Royce White’s condition were a traditional sports injury, answers would come relatively easily. The Rockets could pinpoint the cause of the ailment and the treatment needed. They could offer an approximation of when he would be healed and ready to play. But for White and the Rockets, answers are not within such easy reach.

With White’s illness — Generalized Anxiety Disorder — symptoms are much more mercurial, the protocol far less tangible. The length of his absence from training camp will remain indefinite.

Rockets officials met with White in Houston on Wednesday and came away believing he was making “progress,” according to an official with knowledge of the meeting. But it remains unclear when he’ll join the team.

White has been uncommonly open about his condition and managed it well enough to be an All-American at Iowa State. And the Rockets were happy to invest one of their first-round picks last June to acquire him.

He has suffered panic attacks he has described as “panic on top of panic on top of panic.” But he also battles the slow, unrelenting buildup of anxiety that has kept him from starting his NBA career on time.

“People with Generalized Anxiety Dysfunction can function well,” said Douglas Mennin, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at City University of New York-Hunter College. “They can be successful, run corporations, be doctors. They can be NBA players. There is nothing to suggest they wouldn’t be able to cope or handle pressure or life in the NBA.”

Menin is a nationally recognized expert on GAD who works with the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

“There is often more stress at a time that is a new beginning,” he said. “Usually, you see problems when they are starting something new, something they haven’t done, a novel situation.”

Calm before storm
The start of an NBA career would qualify, though White was able to participate in the summer-league workouts and schedule in Las Vegas and in the NBA rookie orientation program. He did not miss a game at Iowa State. He went through workouts with teammates at Toyota Center last month and was featured in a team function for season-ticket holders last week, even joking he was able to fly to Las Vegas for summer league because he was in first class, where the parachutes are kept.

By Monday, White was unable to attend the team’s media day and did not fly with the team to McAllen.

Though the team has offered few specifics, in many cases significant changes can trigger gradual increases in anxiety to the point it can be uncontrollable and debilitating. Though the triggers can be pinpointed — an upcoming trip or test or move — they often lead to unrelenting anxiety unrelated to any original specific concern.

No timetable as yet
“Generalized Anxiety Disorder might be more focused, such as somebody being afraid of a social situation or afraid to fly,” Mennin said. “But it is generally not about one particular thing. It’s not about a job or about a relationship. It’s about an uncertain future.

“It’s a human thing to worry. They just do it a lot more. People often talk about the term ‘obsession.’ It may be a good situation. They will often look at the risks, what might happen, what can go wrong.

“It often manifests itself in the body with muscle tension like a cat on its hind legs with a predator around the corner. There can be other problems like difficulty sleeping, irritability, an inability to relax, a general sense of uneasiness, headaches or stomachaches.”

With White, there does not appear to have been a sudden panic attack but an escalation of anxiety.

“While we’re trying to find out what caused it, we want to resolve it so it doesn’t repeat,” said Andy Miller, one of White’s agents. “Where we are now, trying to determine how to get to the next step, there are a multitude of issues for a player so he is not affected by this. With camp starting, this has happened, and we’re trying to work through solutions. It’s difficult for Royce, for Houston and for us trying to help him.

“We are working with him. ‘How would you like to handle this? What makes you comfortable?’ I’m guessing he doesn’t even know. It is difficult to be able to answer those questions when he is in this state of mind.”

Miller confirmed a timetable for White’s joining the team has not been established, and he did not discuss specifics of White’s treatment.

Anti-depressants or beta-blockers are often prescribed and are not included on the league’s list of banned substances. But it is not clear if White has been treated medically.

Common disorder
An estimated 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, with 6.8 million battling GAD, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Former University of Texas and NFL running back Ricky Williams and major league pitchers Zack Greinke and Dontrelle Willis were diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. Former Oilers star Earl Campbell was diagnosed with panic disorder after his career.

The best-known example might be former major league outfielder Jimmy Piersall, who wrote about his issues with anxiety, inspiring the 1957 movie “Fear Strikes Out.”
For White, the stunning turn of events this week cannot be considered surprising. But there are other reasons for hope. If his struggles were triggered by the coming transition to his NBA career, the demands — practices, flights, games — could become his routine.

“That absolutely could happen,” Mennin said. “People often do very well after an initial period of change or transition. People learn to manage it. It’s not a death sentence in any way. There are treatments for it. People get better. People can change and improve.”